A major controversy has erupted over the former regional office of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Accra. The newly appointed Chairman of the DVLA has revealed that the land, which was compulsorily acquired by the government for an “Energy City” project, has been rented out as a private warehouse and is now being sold to private individuals. An act which directly contradicts the public purpose for which the land was seized.
The previous government had originally acquired the land, relocating the DVLA to a new regional office in Haatso- Ashaley Botwe. However, the chairman stated that upon taking office, he discovered significant irregularities.
The former DVLA building, which was supposed to be redeveloped for the Energy City project, remains untouched. Instead, it has been rented to a private company, Swiss-Group Limited, and is being used as a warehouse for vehicles.
“I don’t think any of you see any energy city project here,” the chairman emphasized. “We have been informed reliably, concretely, that the lands here that the government compulsorily acquired for the Energy City project are now being sold to private individuals. And you all know, as you are aware, the law is clear: when the government takes a land for a specific purpose and is unable to fulfill that purpose, the land must revert to its original owners.”
Adding to this revelation, Julius Niiquaye Kotey, Chief Executive of the DVLA, highlighted that the land on which the new DVLA regional office is located belongs to a private developer named “Unique Development.” He further stated that the original DVLA land is now being sold at an estimated price of $300 per acre.
Speaking to journalists, the officials vowed to pursue legal action to reclaim the property, with the ultimate goal of building a new, modern DVLA office that will better serve the public’s interest.
This action, according to them would not only address the land’s misuse but also provide a much-needed upgrade to the region’s licensing services.
Source: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
